Letters to the editor for June 27, 2013

Wednesday

Jun 26, 2013 at 10:00 PM

Ocala Star-Banner readers share their opinions on illiteracy, second chances and prestige manor among other issues.

Help fight illiteracyI volunteer on the board of directors for the Marion County Literacy Council, a local nonprofit organization with just two paid employees.Volunteer tutors teach adults in our community to read, prepare for the GED and speak English. We have 276 students at this time. This is twice as many students compared with the same time last year.We continue to do more with less to help our students improve their lives. Most of our students live at or below the poverty level. At our board meeting last week, I agreed to pay the $30 registration fee for one student. How many of my neighbors in Marion County will do the same?If you can read this letter, you're already doing better than 19 percent of the people in our county who are illiterate. The Literacy Council is working to improve this statistic, but we need help funding our services. All donations are tax-deductible and can be mailed to MCLC at 120 SW 5th St. Ocala, FL 34471.Thank you in advance for offering a hand to your neighbors in need.LerVerne JacobsOcala

Sheriff spendthriftI am writing in agreement with the writer of the guest column "Sheriff's spending" (June 23). We all are on a tight budget these days.People are losing both their jobs and homes and trying to survive, and the new sheriff in town wants a new fleet of patrol cars? May I have one, please?He is acting like he has an inheritance from granny and wants to spend every dime. This is cruel and unnecessary.I think it is time for Marion County citizens to sound off and let Chris Blair know that we did not elect him to spend money this way.Betty WilsonOcala

Second chancesI believe in second chances, if for no other reason than to demonstrate to myself and others that I finally get it; I have learned a valuable lesson. Usually second chances are earned as a result of having ignored first chances followed by consequences.I applaud the recent decision passed by the state Legislature to no longer require community college students to take remedial classes. Now they can choose to enroll immediately into college-credit courses. If they can't make the grade, their remediation should be on their nickel, not mine. None of these students should be eligible for student aid nor should universities be responsible for bringing remedial students up to speed. The reality is that not everyone must go to college in order to be successful.As I have stated before in this newspaper in a different context, "Every American child is offered a free public education. Those who choose to ignore this do so at their peril." If one blows off his first chance at an education, he or she is entitled to a second chance, provided he or she experiences the consequences of more time and money.JoAnne WillitsOcala

Defending Prestige ManorWhile reading the article about Prestige Manor III, we were astounded by the allegations against Carol Dillon-Smith and her care of the residents. Our mother was a resident at Prestige Manor for four months. She went there in January directly from Munroe Regional Medical Center and was put under hospice almost immediately.The caring atmosphere there from Carol and her staff was fantastic. Our mother's condition improved so much that she was removed from hospice support after 10 weeks, as it was no longer needed. When we thanked the hospice nurse for her help, she commented that she had only monitored care; Carol and her staff had done all of the actual care services.We have nothing but the best to say about the quality and loving care our mother was provided at Prestige Manor. Unfortunately, due to a new medical condition, we recently had to move her to a full-service nursing home. During her stay at Prestige Manor III, we were there at least three or four times a week at different times. We always were completely satisfied with the care she was given. If her condition were to improve and she could return to Prestige Manor, we would do it in an instant.The charges by the state appear to us to be more bureaucratic red tape that does not take into consideration the high level of personal, loving care provided by Carol and the quality of life provided to all residents. Carol is one of the most dedicated and loving persons we have ever had the privilege to know. We would recommend Prestige Manor to anyone for assisted-living care.Edward GrayOcala

Barking in the nightHow many of you are awakened in the middle of the night by your neighbor's barking dogs? Do you know they can do this two, three or four times a night and you have no recourse unless they bark for at least 15 minutes?My neighbor's dogs do this every night, I spoke with her; she said they wake her up too and she goes out to quiet them. That's all well and good, but by that time we are awake too, and they just do it again a few hours later.In order to change this, we must write to our county commissioners. I just feel it should be different for the middle of the night. If any of you agree, please write to your commissioners.Velma SasseSilver Springs